So a friend of mine at work loaned this movie and insisted I watch it because it was so funny. After weeks of badgering me about he finally just brought it in and left it on my desk. I had enjoyed This is Spinal Tap back in the day so I took it home. This was back round about October (right, don’t loan me any movie you ever want to see again). This weekend I finally watched it. And I have to say Josh you were right. This movie was hysterical.

Now you have to have the right sense of humor for it. Most of the comedy is very dry, understated, and very pseudo-intellectual, but I love that kind of stuff. Too many nights watching British comedies on WLIW growing up I guess. Despite the fact that this is definitely not my wife’s kind of movie she even laughed out loud a few times (she denies it, but she did). The plot revolves around a reunion show for a bunch of old folk singing groups from the sixties. It’s done in a PBS documentary style which makes it even funnier.

The best part of all of these movies is the dialog. They don’t use a script so everything is adlibbed. It makes the documentary style work even better. My favorite part is when the head of the New Main Street Singers is being interviewed and his wife is explaining how she got into show business. She describes her past in the kind of movies we don’t talk about on this site. She makes the statement that she was famous for performing a certain act that most of the other girls wouldn’t do. The actor playing her husband just looks at her and I am convinced he was on the verge of cracking up. I bet the blooper outtakes for this movie are really funny.

I’m not a big fan of folk music but… actually I never listen to folk music… ever… but in addition to being appropriately satirical, the music is well done. “E A oe’s” was stuck in my head for days after seeing the movie. Try to get that out without using an ice pick (not easy).

I really enjoyed this movie. I can’t wait to see Best in Show which I heard was even better. If you like that dry pseudo-intellectual type of humor or you lived through the 60’s this movie should be on your list.

Summary: Dry humor, clever comedy, watch it with a California Chardonnay.
If you liked this one: This is Spinal Tap